Parochial and Plain Sermons

MARK vi. 18. "John had said unto Herod, It is not lawful for thee to hae thy brother's wife."

I,, the Collect of this day, we pray God to euable us boldly to rebuke vice" after the example of St. John the Baptist, who died a Martyr in the faithful discharge of this duty. Herod the Tetrarch had taken his brother's wife. John the Baptist protested against so heinous a sin; and the guilty king, though he could not bring himself to forsake it, yet respected the prophet, and tried to please.him in other ways; but Herodias, the proud and cruel woman whom he had married, resented his interference, and at length effected his death. I need not go through the details of this atrocious history, which are well known to every reader of the Gospels. St. John the Baptist had a mot difficult office to fulfil; that of rebuking a -king. Not that it is difficult for a man of rude arrogant mind to say a harsh thing to men in power,—nay, rather, it is a gratification to such a one; but it is difficult to rebuke well, that is, at a right time, in a right spirit, and a right manner. The IIoly Baptist rebuked IIerod without making him angry; therefore he must have rebuked him with gravity, temper, sincerity, and an evident good-will toward him. On the other hand, he spoke so firmly, sharply, and faithfiflly, that his rebuke cost him his life. We who now live have not that extreme duty put upon us witl which St. John was laden; yet every one of us has a share in his office, inasmuch as we are all bound "to rebuke vice boldly," when we have fit opportunities for so doing. I proceed then to make some remarks upon the duty, as enforced upon us by to-day's Festival. Tow, it is plain that there are two sorts of men in the world; those who put themselves forward, and speak much; and those who retire, and from indolence, timidity, or fastidiousness, do not care to express an opinion on what comes before them. either of these classes will act the part of St. John the Baptist in their iutercourse with others: the retiring will not rebuke vice at all; the bold and ill-mannered will take a pleasure in giving their judgment, whether they are fit judges or not, whether they ought to speak or not, and at all times proper and improper. These self-appointed censors of vice are not to be countenauced or tolerated by any serious Christian. The subjects of their attacks are often open to censure, it is true; and should be censured, but not by them. Yet these men take upon them, on their own attthority, to blame them; often, because those whose dnty it is, neglect to do so; and then they flatter themselves with the notion that they are energetic champions of virtue, strenuous and useful guardians of public nmrals or popular rights. There is a multitude of such men in these days, who succeed the better, because they couceal their names; and are thus relieved of the trouble of obsmwing delicacy in their manner of rebuking, escape the retaliation which the assailed party may inflict on an open assailan*, and' are able to dispense wifl such requisites of personal character and deportment as are ordinarily expected from those who assume the office of the Baptist. And, by speaking against men of note, they gratify the bad passions of the nmltitude; fond, as it ever is, of tales of crime, and malevolent towards the 'eat; and thus they increase their influence, and come to be looked up to and feared.:Now such officious accusers of vice are, I say, to be disowned by all who wish to be really Christians. Every one has his place, one to obey, another to rule, a third to rebuke. It is not religious to undertake an office without a commission. John the Baptist was miraculously called to the duties of a reformer and teacher. Afterwards, an order of men was appointed for the performance of the same services; and this order remains to this day in an uninterrupted succession. Those who take nloon them to rebuke vice_ without producing credentials of their authority, arc intruding upon the office of God's Ministers. They may indeed succeed in their usurpation, they may become popular, be supported by the many, and be recognised even by the persons whom they attack; still the ftmction of censor is from God, whose final judgment it precedes and shadows forth; and not a whole generation of selfwilled men can bestow on their organ the powers of a divine ambassador. It is our part, then, anxiously to guard against the guilt of acquiescing in the claims of such tlse prophets, lest we fall under the severity of our Lor(l's prediction: " I am come in My Father's name," He says, "and ye receive Me not. If another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive. ''1 I notice this pecfliarity of the Reprover's office, as founded on a Divine Commission, and the consequent sin of uudertaking it without a call, for another reason. Besides these bad men, who clamour against vice for gain and envy's sake, I know there are others of a better stamp, who imagine that they ought to rebuke, when in truth they ought not; and who, on finding that they cannot do the office well, or on getting into trouble in attempting it, are perplexed and discouraged, or consider that they suffer for righteousness' sake. Iut our duty is commonly a far more straightforward matter than excited and over-sensitive minds are apt to suppose, that is, as far as concerns our nowing it; and, when we find ourselves perplexed to ascertain it, we should ask ourselves, whether we have not embarrassed our course by some unnecessary or self-willed conduct of our own. For instance, when men imagine it to be their duty to rebuke their superiors, they get into difficulties, for the simple reason, that it is and ever will be difficult to do another man's duty. When the young  John v 43.

take upon them to set right their elders, private Christians speak against the Clergy, the Clergy attempt to direct their:Bishops, or servants their masters, they will find that, generally speaking, the attempt does not succeed; and perhaps they will impute their failure to circumstances,—whereas, the real reason is, that there was no call on them to rebuke at all. There is ever, indeed, a call on them to keep/Yore sin themselves in all things, which itself is a silent protest against whatever is wrong iu high places,—and this they cannot avoid, and need nut wish to avoid; but very seldom, only in extreme cases, for instance, as, wheu the Faith is in jeopardy, or in order to 1,roteet or rescue the simple-minded, is a mau called upou in the way of duty, directly to blame or denounce his superiom. _And in truth we have quite enough to do in the way of rebuking vice, if we confine our censure to those who are the lawfnl subjects of it. These arc our equals and our fiferiors. Here, again, it is easy to use violent language towards those who are below us in station, to be arrogant, to tyrannize; but such was not St. John the Baptist's manner of reproving. He reproved under the prospect of suffering for his faithfifluess; and we should never use a strong word, however true it be, without being willing to acquiesce in some penalty or other, should it. so happen, as the seal of our earnestness. We must not suppose, that our inferiors are without power to annoy us, because they are inferior. We depend on the poor as well as on the rich. hol:, by inferiom, do I mean those merely who are iu a lower rank of society. Herod was St. John's inferior; the eatest person is aware, that, in rebuking another, he is binding himself to a strict,nd religious life, which we natnrally shrink fi'om doing. Accordingly, it lms come to pass, that Christians, by a sort of tacit agreement, wink at each other's faults, and keep silence; whereas, if each of us forced himself to make his neighbour sensible when he did wrong, he would both benefit another, and, through God's blessing, would bind himself also to . more consistent profession. Who can s;ty how much harm is done by thus conntenancing the imperfections of our friends and equals? The stand,rd of Christian morals is lowered; the service of God is mixed up with devotion to Munmon; and thus society is constantly tending to-a heathen state. And this culpable toleration of vice is sanctioned by the mamers of the present age, which seems to consider it a mark of good breeding not to be solicitous about the f,ith or conduct of those around us, as if their private views and habits were nothing to us; which would have more pretence of truth in it, were they merely our fellow-creatures, but is evidently false in the case of those who all the while profess to be Christians, who imagine that they gain the privileges of the Gospel by their profession, while they bring scandal on it by their lives.:Now, if it be asked, what rules can be given for rebuking vice?I observe, that, as on the one hand to perform the office of a censor requires a maturity and consistency of principle seen and acknowledged, so is it also the necessary result of possessing it. They who reprove with the greatest propriety, from their weight of character, are generally the very men who are also best qualifted for reproving. To rebuke well is  gift which grows with the need of exercising it. Not that any one will gain it without an effort on his part; he must overcome false shame, timidity, and undue delicacy, and learn to be prompt and collected iu withstanding evil; but after all, his mode of doiug it will depend mainly on his general character. The more his habitual temper is fiwmed after the law of Christ, the more discreet, unexceptionable, and graceful will be his cen.ures, the more difficult to escape or to resist. What I mean is this: cnltivate in your general deportment a cheerful, honest, manly temper; and you will find fault well, because you will do so in a natural way. Aim at viewing all things in a plain and candid light, and at calling them by their right names. Be frank, do not keep your notions of right mid wrong to yourselves, nor, on some couceit that the world is too bad to be taught the Truth, suffer it to sin in word or deed without rebuke. Do not allow friend or stranger in the familiar intercourse of society to advance false opinions, nor shrhk from stating your own, and do this in singleness of mind and love. Persons are to be found, who tell their neighbours of their faults in a strangely solenm way, with a great parade, as if they were doing something extraordinary; and such men not only offend those whom they wish to set right, but also foster in themselves a spirit of self-complacency Such a mode of finding fault is inseparably connected with a notion that they themselves are far better than the parties they blame; whereas the single-hearted

Christian will find fault, not austerely or gloomily, but in love; not stiff]y, but natm'ally, gently, and as a matter of course, just as he w, mltI tell his friend of some obstacle in his path which vas likely to throw him down, but without auy absurd feeling of superiority over him, because he was able to do so. His feeling is, "I have done a good of-rice to you, and you must in turn serve me." And though his advice be no always taken as he meant it, yet he will not dwell on the I)ain occasioned to lfimself by such a result of his interference; being conscious, that in truth there ever is much to correct in his mode of doing his duty, knowing that his intention was good, and being determined an)" how to make light of his failure, except so far as to be more cautious in future against even the appearance of rudeness or intemperance in his manner. These are a few suggestions on an important subject. We daily influence each other for good or evil; let us not be the occasion of misleading others by our silence, when ,e ought to speak. Recollect St. Paul's words:— "Be not partaker of other men's sins: keep thyself pure." 1  1 Tim. v. 22.

"' I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist; but he that is least in the It:ingdon of God is greater than hc."

T. PETER'S day suitably folloxvs the day of St. John the Baptist; for thus we have a striking memento, as the text suggests, of the especial dignity of the Christian Ministry over all previous Ministries which Almighty God has al)pointed. St. John was "much more than a Prophet;" he was as great as any ruessenger of God that had ever been born; yet the least in the Kingdom of heaven, the least of Christ's Ministers, is greater than he. And this, I observe, is a reflection especially fitted for this Festival, because the Apostle Peter is taken in various parts of the Gospel, as the appropriate type and representative of the Christian ministry. :Now, let us consider in what the peculiar dignity of the Christian Minister consists. Evidently in this, that Vide hlatt, xvi. 18, 19. Luke xxii. 29, 30. John xxi. 15—17.

he is the representative of Christ; for, as Christ is infinitely above all other messengers from God, he who stands in His stead, must be superior, beyond compare, to all Ministers of religion, whether Prophets, Priests, Lawgivers, Judges, or Kings, whom Almighty (god ever ommissioned. Moses, Aaron, Samuel, and David, were shadows of the Saviour; but the Minister of t.he Gospel is His present substitute. As a type or prophecy of Grace is less than a pledge and meaus, as a Jewish sacrifice is less than a Gospel sacrament., so are Moses and Elias less by office flan the representatives of Christ. This I consider to be evident, as soon as stated; the only question being, whether there is reason for thinkhg, that Christ has, in matter of fact, left representatives behind Him; and this, as I proceed to show, Scripture enables us to determine in the affirmative.:Now, in the first place, as we all know, Christ chose twelve out of His disciples, whom He called Apostles, to be His representatives even during IIis own nfinistry. And He gave them the power of doing the wouderful works which He did Himself. Of course I do not say He gave them equal power (God forbid!); but lie gave them a certain sufficient portion of IIis power. "He gave them power," says St. Luke, "and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases; and IIe seat them to preach the Kingdom of God, and to heal the sick. " And He expressly made them His substitutes to the world at large; so that to receive them was to receive Himself. "'tie that reeciveth you, reeeiveth Me. ''- Such was their principal power before His passion, sinfilar to  Luke ix. 1, 2..o iIatt, x. 40.

to their custody, which (not to mention their miraculous powers, which is beside our present purpose) were those peculiar spiritual blessings which flow frora Christ as a Saviour, as a Prophet, I'riest. and King. These blessings are commonly designated in Scripture as "the Spirit," or "the gift of the Holy Ghost." John the Baptist said of himself and Christ; "I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance; but Ite shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire. '' In this respect, Christ's ministrations were above all that had ever beeu before lIim, in bringing with them the gift of the Holy Ghost, that one gift, one, yet multiform, sevenfohl in its operation, in which all spiritual blessedness is included. Accordingly, our Lord was solemnly anointed vith the tIoly Ghost ]Iimself, as an initiation into IIis Ministerial office. He was nmnifested as receiving, that He might be believed on as giving. He was thus commissioned, according to the Prophet, "to preach good tidigs," "to heal the broken-hearted," "' to give the oil of joy for mourning." Therefore, in like manner, the Apostles also were anointed with the same heavenly gift for the same Ministerial office. "He breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost." Such as was the consecration of the Master, such was that of the Disciples; and such as His, were the offices to which they were thereby admitted. Christ is a Prophet, as authoritatively revealing the will of God and the Gospel of Grace. So also were the Apostles; " He that heareth you, heareth Ie; and he that despiseth you, despiseth [e: and he that despisth  ]Iatt. iii. 11.

Me, despiseth Him that sent Me;" "He that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us His Holy Spirit." x Christ is a Priest, as forgiving sin, and imparting other needflfl divine gifts. The Apostles, too, had this power; "Whose soever sins ye renfit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained." "Let a man so account of us as... Stewards of the Mysteries of (od." Christ is a King, as ruling the Church; and the Apostles rule it in I[is stead. " I appoint unto you a Kingdom, as My Father hath appointed nnto Me; that ye may eat and drink at My table in My Kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel." Thc gift, or office, cannot be named, which belongs to our Lord as the Christ, which I[e did not in its degree transfer to His Apostles by the communication of that Spirit., through which He Himself wrought; one of course excepted, the One great work, which none else in the whole world could sustain, of being the Atoning Sacrifice for all mankind. So far no one can take His place, and "Ilis glory lie does not give to another." His Death upon the Cross is the sole Meritorious Cause, the sole Source of spiritual blessing to our guilty race; but as to those offices and gifts which flow from this Atonement, preaching, teaching, reconciling, absolving, censuring, dispensing grace, ruling, ordaining, these all are included in the Apostolic Commission, which is instrumental and representative in His absence. "As My lathe, r hath sent hie, so send I you." His gifts are  Luke x. 16. l Thess. iv. 8. - Lnke xxi. 29, 30.

not confined to Himselt: "The whole house is filled with the odour of the ointment." This being granted, however, as regards the Apostles themselves, some one nmy be disposed to inquire, whether their triple office has descended to Christian Ministers after them. I say their trillc office, for few pea'sons will deny that some portion of their commission still remains among us. The notion that there is no divine appointment of one nmn above another for Ministerial duties is not a common one, and we need not r,flte it. But it is very common for men to believe only as far as they can see and understand; and, because they are witnesses of the process and eifects of instructing and ruling, and not of (what may bt. called)" the ministry of recon'iliation," to accept Christ's Mhfsters as represettives of IIis Prol,hetic and Regal, not of His Priestly authority. Assuming then their claim to inherit two portions of IIis Anointing, I shall confine myself to the question of their possessing the third likewise: not however with a view of proving it, but rather of removing such antecedent difficulties as arc likely to prejudice the mind against it. ly a Priest, in a Christia.n sense, is meant an appointed channel by which the peculiar Gospel blessings are conveyed to mankind, one who has power to aPl.ly to individuals those gifts which Christ has promised us generally as the fl'uit of His mediation. This power was possessed by the Apostles; I am now to how that it is possessed by their successors likewise. 1.:Now, first, that there is a strong line of distinction between the Apostles and other Christian Iiuisters, I II.]

Priesthood, is obviated by Scripture itself. It might be thought that the power of remitting aud retaining sins was too great to be given to sinful mau over his fellows; but in matter of fact it was committed to tile Apostles without restriction, though they were mt infitllible in what they did. "Whose soever sins ye remit they are remitted uuto them; and chose soever sius ye retain, they are retained." The grant was in the very form of it unconditional, and left to their Christian discretion. What has once been given, may be continued. I consider this remark to be of weight in a case like the present, where the very nature of the professed gift is the only considerable reason against the fact of its bestowal. 2. But all this is on the bare antecedent view of the case. In fact, our Lord Himself has decided the question, by declaring that IIis presence, by means of IIis Apostles, should be with the Church to the end of the world. He promised this on the solemn occasion of His leaving them; He declared it when He bade them make converts, baptize, and teach. As well may we doubt whether it is our duty to preach and make proselytes, and prepare men for Heaven, as that His Apostolic Presence is with us, for those purposes. His woMs then at first sight even go to include all the gifts vouchsafed to His first l[inisters; far from ]laving a scanty grant of them, so large is the promise, that we are obliged to find out seasons to justiiy us in considering the Successors of the Apostles in any respects less favoured than themselves. Such reasons we know are to be fore, d, and lead us to distinguish the extraordinary gifts from the question vhether it is or is not probable that so precious an ordinance as  chamel of grace would be committed by Providence to the custody of certain guardians. The tendency of opinions at this day is to believe that nothing more is necessary for acceptance than faith in God's promise of mercy; whereas it is certain from Scripture, that the gift. of reconciliation is not conveyed to individuals except through appointed ordinances. Christ has interposed something between Himself and the soul; and if it is nt inconsistent with the liberty of the. ,spcl that; Sacrament should interfere, there is no antecedent inconsistency in a keeper of the Sacra- nent attending upon it. Moreover, the very circumstance that a standing Ministry has existed from the first, leads on to the inference that that Mialistry was intended to take charge of the Sacraments; and thus the facts of the case suggest au interpretation of our Lord's memorable words, when lie committed to St. Peter "the lccys of the Kingdom of Heaven." I would have this Scripture truth considered attentively: viz. that Sacraments are the channels of the peculiar Christian privileges, and not merely (as many men think, and as the rite of Confirmation really is) seals of the covenant. A man may object, indeed, that in _,qt. I'm]'s Epistle to the Romans nothing is said alout chammls and instruments; that faith is represented as the sole mediuln of justification. But I will refer him, by way of reply, to the same Apostle's speech to Festus and Agrippa, where he describes Christ as saying to him on his miraculous conversion, "Rise and stand upon thy feet; for I have appeared unto thee for fervently for you in prayer, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of u . 7. Ve may end these remarks by recurring to the instances of St. Peter and St. &)hu the Baptist; who, as types of God's ordained servants, before and atter l[is Son's coming, may sere to explain the office of ordinary Christian Ministers. Even the lowest of them is "greater than John." Now what was it that he wauted? Was it the knowledge of Gospel dodrine? No, surely; no words can be clearer than his eoueerning the New covenant. " Belmhl the Lamb of t*od, which taketh away the sin of the worhl." "lie that conwth from above, is above all.. IIe whom God hath sent. speaketh the words of God, fi,r God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto Him. The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into His hand. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life, and he that believeth not the Son sha not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him. ''e Therefore, the Baptist lacked not the fifll Christian doctrine; vhat he did lack, was (as he says himself) the Baptism of lhc Sl)irit, conveying a commission from Christ the Saviour, in all His manilbld gifts, ordinary and extraordinary, egal and Sacerdotal. Jhn was not inferior to us Gospel Ministers in knowledge, but in power. On the other hand, if, as I have made appear, St. Peter's ministerial office continues as regards ordinary purposes, in the persons of those who come after him, we are bound to understand our Lord's blessing, pronouneed in the first instance upon him, as descending x Jamesv. 1, 15. Col. i. 7; iv. 12.  Johni. 29; iii. 31—3.

in due measure on the least of us His ministers who "keep the faith," Peter being but t.he representative and type of them all. " Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona; for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but My Father, which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, that thott art Peter, and upon this roel: I will build My Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail agains it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven; and whatsoever thou shal bind on earth shall be bound iu heaven, and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." August and glorious promise Can it be, that it is all expended on St. Peter, how great soever that noble Apostle? Is it inserted in the "everlasting (lospel," to witness merely of one long since, departed? Is it the practice of the inspired word to exalt individuals Does not the very exuberance of the blessing resist any such niggardly use of i? Does it not flow over in spite of us, till our nnbelief is vanquished by the graciousness of IIim who spoke it? Is it, in short, anything but t.he prejudices of education, which prevent so many of us front reeeiviug it in tha fulness of grace in which it was poured out? I say our_pr@tdices,for these surely are the cause of our inconsistency in faith; adopting, as we do, a of Scripture interpretation, which carries us a certain way, and stops short of the whole counsel of God, and should teach us nothing, or a great deal more. If the promises to Christ's Apostles are not flflfilled in the Church for ever after, why should the blessing attaching to the Sacraments extend after the first age? Why they who think it superstitious to believe lhat particular persons are channels of grace, arc but consistent in denying virtue to particular ordinances, lgr do they stop even here; for denying the grace of baptism, they proceed to deny the doctrine of original sin, for which that grace is the relnedy. Furthel; denying the doctrine of original sin, they necessarily impair the doctrine of the Atonement, and so lwepare a way for the denim of our Lord's Divinity. Again, denying the power of the Sacraments oil the ground of its myslcrious,,eas, demanding front the very text of Scripture lhe fillest proof of it conceivable, and thinking little of the blessedhess of " not seeing, and yet believing," they naturally proceed to object to file doctrine of the Trinity as obstrueting and obscuring the simplicity (as they consider it) of the Gospel, and but indirectly deducible ti'om the extant documents of inspiration. Lastly, after they have thus divested the divine remedies of Sill, and the treatment neeessar:y for the silmer, of their solemnity and awe, having made the whole scheme of salvation of as intelligible and ordinary a character as the repair of any accident in the works of man, having r,l,bed Faith of its mysteries, the Sacraments of their virtue, the Priesthood of its commission, no wonder that sin itself is soon considered a venial matter, moral evil as a mere ilnperfeetion, man as involved in no great peril or misery, his duties of no very arduous or anxious nature. In a word, religion, as slch, is in the way to disappear from  E.g. A Dissenting Catechism has lately been published in lh,. country for polmlar use, in which the doctrine of original sin is denied, by way of meeting the charge of cruelty towards children, as involved in the omission of infant baptism.

the mind altogether; and in its stead a mere cold worldly morality, a decent regard to the claims of society, a cultivation of the benevolent aflbctions, and a gentleness and polish of external deportment, will be supposed to constitute the entire duties of that being, who is conceived in sin, and tile child of wrath, is redeemed by tile precious blood of the Son of God, is born again and sustained by fire Spirit through the invisible strength of Sacraments, and called, through self-denial aud sanctification of the inward anan, to the Eternal l'resence of tile Father, Son, and lIoly Ghost. Such is the course and issue of unbelief, though beginning in what the world calls trifles. Beware then, O my Brethren, of entering a way which leads to death. Fear to question what Scriptm'e says of tile Ministers of Christ, lest the same perverse spirit lead you on to question its doctrine about Himself and His Father. "Little children, it is the last time; and as ye have heard t-hat Antichrist shall come, even now are there mauy Antichrists.... They went ot from us, but they were not of us. '' "Ye shall know them by their fruits. " If any ma.n come to you, bringing any scoff against the power of Christ's Ministers, ask him what he holds concerning the Sacraments, or concerning the Blessed Trinity; lok narrowly after his helief as regards the Atonement, or Original Si.n. Ascertain whether he holds with the Church's doctrine in these points; see to it whether at very best he does not try to evade the question, has recourse to explanations, or professes to have no opinion at all upon it. Look to these things,  John ii. 18, 19.  Matt. vii. 16.

that you may see whither you are invited. Be not robbed of your faith blindfold: Do what you do with a clear understanding of the consequences. And if the arguments which he uses against you tend to show that your present set of opinions is in some measure inconsistent, and force you to see in Scripture more than you do at present, or else less, be not aft'aid to add to it, rather than to detract from it. Be quite snre that, go as fitr as you may, you will never, through God's grace, be led to see more in it than the early Christians saw; that, however you enlarge your creed, you will but carry yourselves on to Apostolic perfection, equally removed from the extremes of presumption and of unbelief, neither intruding into things not seen as yet, nor denying, on the other hand, what you cannot see.